Cynthia Ann Avery Morgan

Our loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Cynthia Ann Avery Morgan, passed away December 15, 2016 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Born August 29, 1960 to Lois & Allen Avery in Riverside, California; Cindy was raised in Utah and Idaho. After ten years of marriage, Cindy's parents adopted her brother Mike. To her parent's surprise, they became pregnant with Cynthia shortly after Mike joined the family. As a young child Cindy loved dressing and mothering her dolls. One year for Christmas she received real baby clothes for her doll. She was so excited!

At the age of three a whirlwind of moving around Idaho and Utah began for Mike and Cindy when their parents divorced. By seventh grade Cindy had attended eight schools. At age 12, her mother passed away leaving the children to relocate again to live with their father and new step-mother. Though her relationship with her new parents was tumultuous, she was blessed with loyal friends who encouraged her faith and activity in the church.

Her experience, shared from her life history: "I went to all four years of seminary. I had the opportunity to go with our graduating seminary class on the church history tour. It was wonderful... I rode in a cab in [New York] with my girlfriends, went to a Broadway play The King and I. We saw Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, and went up in the Empire State Building. This trip was a great testimony builder. We were asked at the beginning by our seminary teachers to try [and] feel the spirit of the truthfulness of this gospel some time while on the trip. My experience of feeling the spirit testified to me of the truthfulness of [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] was while we were at the Kirtland Temple."

While attending a singles ward in Kaysville, UT, Cindy saw a young returned missionary sharing his testimony. She says in her history: "I was thinking and praying silently to the Lord that I wanted someone like the person... that was bearing his testimony. I wanted someone with a strong testimony, a return missionary, and someone tall, dark, and handsome. This young man fit my criteria perfectly, but I wasn't asking the Lord for that exact person. But he blessed me with him..."

Cindy and Rory were married later that year in December 1979. Cindy recalls: "It was a beautiful sunny winter day. It was a very happy day." Rory continued his schooling and they became parents a year later. Gregory was born on January 26, 1981. Rachel followed on October 9, 1982. Through Rory's hard work while finishing graduate school Cindy was blessed to stay home with these little ones. The family was taken to Sacramento California in 1985 for Rory's early career. Jeffrey joined the family on February 6, 1986 and the family was complete on March 24, 1988 with Melissa, the, "last but not least...".

Cindy raised her family through kindness, patience, and love. She taught them and supported them through football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, dance, and track; but also in youth activities at church, scouting, young women's, temple trips, youth conferences, and personal spiritual development. She was proud of her children, their accomplishments, and their character. The family continued to grow, with son's and daughter's in law and the addition of grandchildren. Cindy loved them all and welcomed them, giving them the same kindness, patience, and love. Maybe more for the grand children...

In addition to cherishing her family and enjoying time with them, Cindy enjoyed waterskiing, crafts, and movies; especially musicals like My Fair Lady and The Phantom of the Opera. She also enjoyed the Lawrence Welk Show and the cherished memory of watching it with her mother. She took great pride in keeping a tidy home and yard full of flowers. She made delicious treats including caramels, fudge, and toffee. She loved to sew and made sure her daughter's and grand-daughter's dolls were well dressed. She was involved in family history from a young age and has spent many hours doing research and creating her own family and personal history. Cindy enjoyed reading the Holy Scriptures and other books about the church. A few other favorites activities include eating at Zio's, Downton Abbey, eating pie, and even licking the plate.

Cindy was good natured, happy, and spirited. She had a wonderful sense of humor. Rachel recalls a trip to girl's camp with her mom, Susie Lovell, and a van full of girls and leaders. After a pit stop along the way, Cindy returned to the car to find a tissue on her seat. Assuming the girl's camp pranks had started early and the tissue was concealing a whoopee cushion, she decided to really give everyone in the car a performance and maximize that whoopee cushion noise. She plopped down on her seat and tissue as hard as possible but there was no whoopee cushion. The tissue was covered in shaving cream that splattered everywhere!

Some of you may remember the cheerio challenge. Parents stacked cheerios on their sleeping babies and posted the pictures on social media in an attempt to out-do each other and make the largest stack. Cindy's picture was taken earlier this year. Jeffrey was sleeping peacefully after a long day at work with four cheerio boxes stacked on his face. I think she wins the challenge. Meek and childlike, she always loved to play. Weather with her children or grandchildren, she could often be found down on the ground or playing in the pool. Imagination, crafts, games, and especially dolls were great fun for the kids, grandkids, and for Cindy. And, while out with her adult daughters, she was often confused for a sister.

Anyone who knows Cindy, knows that her heart is pure; full of love and charity. Just as she is devoted to her family she is devoted to God. She felt the Spirit of God in her life and attempted to follow it always; only taking actions that would be pleasing to him. She writes about a formative experience in her personal history: "I went to a Catholic school for first grade. One day a girl brought three or so Barbie dolls [for show and tell]. I thought to myself that it wasn't fair she had so many and I didn't have any. I chose to stay in that day for recess. When there wasn't anyone looking, I took one of the Barbies. Later that day when the girl discovered one of her dolls was missing she cried and the teacher asked if anyone knew where it was. Of course, I didn't want to get in trouble but I felt bad and when no was looking I put it on the floor and then said to the boy behind me "there it is" so he was the hero and found the Barbie and I didn't get caught. I didn't like the feelings I had, so I decided not to do that anymore. I know now that is very important to be honest in all things."

In addition to her deep personal connection to her Heavenly Father she strove to help others form that same kind of relationship. She is a wonderful teacher with impact on other's lives that is beyond measure. She served for six years as the president of the Young Women's organization in the Sapulpa Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also served as a counselor in the Relief Society and Primary organizations, as a primary nursery leader, and in the Tulsa Stake young women's presidency. Possibly her most cherished teaching position was as a piano teacher. She had a special love and abiding appreciation of music and learned to play the piano in 2009. As soon as she learned to play she took on students and helped share that love with others and foster their talent. She is beloved by her students in the gospel and in music.

Cindy is reunited with her dear mother and all those that went before. The silent thorn that pierced her heart is removed and she returns to the loving arms of our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ to await the joyous reunion with her family. May her single minded desire to do good inspire our actions, her selfless service lead us to another in need, and fill our hearts with a measure of the love and charity that defined the character of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend and teacher. She is survived by her husband Rory, children Greg (& Linus) Morgan, Rachel (& Seth) Stephenson, Jeffrey (& Chelsea) Morgan, and Melissa (& Kevin) Clarke, as well as five grandchildren: Colter, Kaylee, Lily, Maggie, and Ben.

Memorial services were held Monday December 19, 2016, 11am at the Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints Chapel (950 Pioneer Rd.) in Sapulpa, OK.